Drag, or wind resistance, is a significant force acting against the motion of cyclists. The amount of drag is dependent on the cross sectional profile of the rider moving through air. Consequently, cyclists attempt to reduce wind resistance by riding in a position that reduces their profile. To this end, many competitive cyclists use aerobars that allow riders to ride in a more favorable position. Aerobars typically include straight, s-bend or ski-bend tubular extensions that extend forward from the bicycle to provide an area that the cyclist can grip while in an aerodynamic position. In many aerobar designs, a lateral portion joins the extensions and supports armrests. A cyclist grips near the forward most portion of the extensions and rests his or her forearms on armrests allowing the rider to ride in a crouched position that is more aerodynamic.
In addition to aerodynamics, the physical well being of the rider affects performance. In order to maintain high performance, a cyclist must remain well hydrated. However, hydration often comes at the price of speed as water bottles are currently mounted in difficult to reach places that require the rider to break his or her aerodynamic form to access the bottle. The most common existing system is a water container that is suspended in front of the bicycle stem and between the aerobars. The rider uses a straw to drink the water. The problem with this type of a system is that the container is difficult to refill. Consequently, competitors in triathlons or bicycle races must slow down to refill the bottle.
Another solution is to mount a standard water bottle cage transversely across the aerobars. This requires riders to maintain their forearms further apart in a less aerodynamic position. Additionally, water bottles mounted in this manner can be difficult to remove from the cage while maintaining a fully crouched form (aero form) and often require that the rider move to a less aerodynamic position when the rider wishes to hydrate. In many cases, the rider must remove the bottle from beneath and between the aero handlebars, diverting the rider's attention from the road leading to decreased safety.
Other riders use a traditional frame mounted water bottles. This solution is not desirable because the bottle is not close to the rider's mouth. Reaching down for the bottle breaks the rider's aero position and slows him or her down. With a frame mount bottle the options are to lose speed due to position or lose performance by not hydrating.